Ordinary People, Extraordinary Laws

Female sex workers in South Africa provide for an average of 4 adults and/or child dependants.

Less than a third of female sex workers have permanent partners. This places a large responsibility on them to provide for their dependants as well as themselves.

Criminal Law makes sex workers vulnerable because what they do is considered illegal and renders them powerless. Sex workers experience high levels of abuse, rape and exploitation by unscrupulous police and security officers.

Sonke Gender Justice is a non-partisan, non-profit organisation, established in 2006. Today, Sonke has established a growing presence on the African continent and plays an active role internationally. Sonke works to create the change necessary for men, women, young people and children to enjoy equitable, healthy and happy relationships that contribute to the development of just and democratic societies. Sonke pursues this goal across Southern Africa by using a human rights framework to build the capacity of government, civil society organisations and citizens to achieve gender equality, prevent gender-based violence and reduce the spread of HIV and the impact of AIDS.